• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
9/11 first responder shares 'best and worst' things they saw after spending 1000 hours on site

Home> News> US News> New York

Published 18:18 10 Sep 2025 GMT+1

9/11 first responder shares 'best and worst' things they saw after spending 1000 hours on site

24 years have now passed since New York City's Twin Towers tragically fell

Dan Seddon

Dan Seddon

A first responder working at the September 11, 2001 disaster site in New York City has come forward with some stories from that horrendous day.

It's now almost a quarter of a century since terrorist organisation al-Qaeda sent 19 of its members to hijack four commercial planes across the US, flying two into the Twin Towers and a third into the Pentagon, while the fourth - believed to be headed towards either the White House or the Capitol Building - was steered into a rural field in Pennsylvania, thanks to its heroic passengers.

In light of the tragedy's anniversary, we're looking back at Reddit user @Hot_Day_2137's AMA forum from six months ago, where he invited people to enquire about his experiences at the ground level.

A band of first responders head towards the Twin Towers during the 9/11 attacks (Jose Jimenez/Primera Hora/Getty Images)
A band of first responders head towards the Twin Towers during the 9/11 attacks (Jose Jimenez/Primera Hora/Getty Images)

Advert

"What was the best and worst thing you saw? Thank you for your service!" read one of the many questions.

The 9/11 first responder went on to write back: "The best? The City, the country and the world coming together. There was no division in our country like it is today.

"The worst was people taking pictures with cameras (very rare to have cellphones back then) with Ground Zero in the background smiling," he noted. "Over 3,000 people died in a public and horrific manner and people wanted to take group pictures. Simply hated seeing that."

Meanwhile, a separate user was keen to gain clarity on what the term 'human remains' really means when it comes to the rescue effort.

Advert

"This is morbid but I’ve always been curious what they mean when they say remains," they shared. "I just can’t wrap my head around how bodies could survive a building crushing down on them. Can you explain more on that? Was there entire bodies recovered? Or was it just very small parts/limbs?"

Replying to this query, the AMA instigator explained: "Remains primarily means body parts for identification for the family so they can properly grieve.

The World Trade Center in New York was hit by two planes in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The World Trade Center in New York was hit by two planes in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

"If body parts can’t be found, personal property is next and hopefully identified for the family. I saw so many [World Trade Center] ID tags with names and pictures of people while at the landfill. I remember when I was first at the landfill it was so hard to look for remains that I was wondering to myself why are we even here?" they revealed.

Advert

"Then one day we were at the cafeteria tent, taking a break, and then a whole bunch of family members of the victims came and thanked us for being there. And then I knew why we had to be there."

On the day of those horrific attacks, US news outlets flocked to the scene to snatch any footage they could of the devastating aftermath.

ABC 7 interviewed a guy who'd been in one of the towers when it was struck. Covered in dust and debris, he confirmed on camera that he was the 72nd floor.

It's now 24 years since the World Trade Center was targeted by al-Qaeda (Robert Giroux/Getty Images)
It's now 24 years since the World Trade Center was targeted by al-Qaeda (Robert Giroux/Getty Images)

Advert

Distracted, the man subsequently looked to his left as the camera captured his very tower crumbling before them.

"Incredible, to see your workplace, a place where you spent thousands of hours just turn to dust," wrote one person on Reddit when the interview re-emerged online.

"I just can't imagine how he felt," shared somebody else. "I'm sure he thought about all the people he passed on his way down that had stopped to rest, the people from his floor that he worked with, the rescuers who were going up as he was coming down. Just awful."

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Spencer Platt

Topics: US News, Terrorism

Dan Seddon
Dan Seddon

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

9 mins ago
24 mins ago
an hour ago
  • Image suppliedImage supplied
    9 mins ago

    Man diagnosed with rare blood cancer claims AI ‘saved his life’ after multiple doctors missed signs

    Steve Brown is using AI to help with his rare blood cancer diagnosis

    News
  • Getty Images/Anna MoneymakerGetty Images/Anna Moneymaker
    24 mins ago

    Elon Musk officially loses title as world’s richest person

    The announcement comes after he was offered a $1 trillion payout by Tesla if he hits targets over the next ten years

    Celebrity
  • Getty Images/MORRY GASHGetty Images/MORRY GASH
    an hour ago

    People are just now realizing important rule Trump didn't follow at inauguration and it could explain a lot

    Months later, people are just now noticing Trump broke a longstanding tradition — and it’s sparking plenty of conversation.

    News
  • 6abc Philadelphia6abc Philadelphia
    an hour ago

    Medical examiner shares new details about decomposing body found inside trunk of US singer's abandoned Tesla

    The body of a woman was found in a car registered to singer d4vd.

    News
  • Unsealed 9/11 evidence reveals new details about man allegedly linked to attacks that killed almost 3,000
  • Devastating moment President George W. Bush found out 9/11 had happened caught on camera
  • Shocking 9/11 photos show little-known impacts of attacks as survivor recalls ‘zombie movie’ atmosphere
  • Heartbreaking video reveals what the only American in space on 9/11 saw as terror attack took place